Cooking with JoJo: There’s not mushroom for error with this dish

This quick and easy recipe will wow your guests. Served as an appetizer or as an amazing side, the stuffed portabella mushroom cap is delicious and can be done in so many ways, you can’t go wrong.

They are delicious and hardy and take the high heat of a grill or roasting in the oven.

For this recipe, I sautéed them in olive oil and combined sweet caramelized onions, yellow peppers, fresh garlic and grated parmesan cheese topped with a sprinkle of freshly chopped basil and a dusting of red chili flakes.

What you’ll need:

• 4 large Portabella mushroom caps, about one per person.

• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced.

• 2 large yellow bell peppers, finely diced.

• 1 pound of spicy Italian sausage, casings removed.

• 2 cloves garlic, finely diced.

• ¼ cup olive oil.

• pinch of salt and pepper.

• ¼ tsp. red chili flakes.

• ¼ freshly grated parmesan cheese.

• ¼ cup freshly chopped basil.

In a pan on medium heat, add the olive oil. Due to the size of the caps and depending on time, you may choose to use two pans.

When the oil is up to temperature, add caps in and toss to coat with oil and add salt and pepper to each side. Cook them about 10 minutes per side and remove them from the pan and set aside on a paper towel.

In the same pan, add onions, peppers and garlic and cook until tender and lightly brown. Remove the mixture and set aside.

Raise the heat to medium high and cook the Italian sausage. I enjoy cooking this on higher heat to make some of the sausage crispy for texture. Use a spatula or fork to crumble the sausage as it cooks. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside to drain.

To assemble, place your mushroom cap “gill” side up and fill with the caramelized onions and peppers. Top with crispy Italian sausage and grated parmesan cheese. Add a pinch of freshly chopped basil and finish with red chili flakes for an added kick.

It’s simple and delicious…enjoy.

Cooking since he could pull a chair up to the stove at 5 years old, Joey Morasse, of Lebanon, is the owner and operator of JoJo’s Barbecue and Catering. He is also a personal chef and offers in-home cooking classes.